Community Forums

Greytraveler · 10-16-2018, 10:05 AM

I want to move to a higher quality rig. I have plenty of questions but starting with frames because the fifth we have seems to have a weak one. Cannot even add a receiver to mount a bike rack without compromising based on what the owner's manual says. I would like to tow a motorcycle trailer and that is out. I also have the impression there is plenty of flex in the frame.

I see that Outdoors and Northwood make their own. Are there others?

Elkfarmer · 10-16-2018, 11:48 AM

Only others are Spacecraft and New Horizon(customs). You will have to go back a few years. The last ones to go out were Lifestyle, Excell and Forks. Lots of others till about 2006 both U.S. and Canada manufacturers.

consolenut · 10-16-2018, 01:04 PM

Teton made there own too. Still a patented design too

CecilD · 10-16-2018, 04:18 PM

Carriage made their own but the best you will be able to do is 6 years old.

jdpm · 10-19-2018, 02:36 PM

Lifestyle is a Carriage carry-over with the same frame. They went out of business in 2016. The last ones did not have the Titan in-house built frame. Its easy tell as the last models did NOT have the rear trunk/basement.
Bay Hill by Evergreen does NOT have the Titan frame either.
I love my Lifestyle and you can find gently used ones.

NW Explorers · 10-22-2018, 02:45 AM

DRV doesn't build their own frames, but they are built to DRV's specifications and are the best production 5th wheel frames on the market. DRV frames are built using 3 stacked rectangular steel tubes - two 6" and one 3". That 15" tube frame is much stronger than the typical I beam frame. DRV Mobile Suite and Elite Suite units also come standard with MORryde independent suspension and disc brakes.

Happy trails,

Tundra2084 · 10-24-2018, 01:28 PM

Evergreen did in fact have their own frames until late 2014 when they went to the dreaded lippert frames. This was confirmed by the builders of the BayHill line. The production manager as well as some of the Bayhill employees have a repair shop in Goshen and we have taken our 2014 BayHill 340RK Fifth wheel there for repairs last year. When we asked about the frame we were told they did make them in-house to start with but changed to Lippert mid 2014.

talk2cpu · 10-26-2018, 12:24 AM

Northwoods Manufacturing builds their own frames.

jdpm · 10-26-2018, 06:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tundra2084

Evergreen did in fact have their own frames until late 2014 when they went to the dreaded lippert frames. This was confirmed by the builders of the BayHill line. The production manager as well as some of the Bayhill employees have a repair shop in Goshen and we have taken our 2014 BayHill 340RK Fifth wheel there for repairs last year. When we asked about the frame we were told they did make them in-house to start with but changed to Lippert mid 2014.

Evergreen owned Lifestyle and Bay Hill. They were built on different frames. The Lifestyle line was built on the in-house box frame until early '16 prior to shut down. The Bay Hill was always on an I-beam frame.

CWSWine · 10-26-2018, 10:25 AM

I live close to New Horizon and they will build what you want all it takes is money. You can sit down with a designer and go through the entire 5er and have it built to upgraded specs that you demand. With New Horizon you can exceed the specs on any DRW 3500/350/450 with dry weights over 24,000 pounds dry wights.

mjdenn · 10-26-2018, 12:34 PM

Grey traveler
NH can indeed build pretty much anything you can dream up and the Majestic can support a hydra lift so no trailer wood be needed. It's worth a call to Drew or Cole and see what they can do for you. They also make a toy hauler which could be an alternative. A Summit toy hauler would be another option lower price and weight. Simpler to customize as well. Our 39' Summit tows very nicely behind a F-350 DRW

mrgrayaz · 10-27-2018, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greytraveler

I want to move to a higher quality rig. I have plenty of questions but starting with frames because the fifth we have seems to have a weak one. Cannot even add a receiver to mount a bike rack without compromising based on what the owner's manual says. I would like to tow a motorcycle trailer and that is out. I also have the impression there is plenty of flex in the frame.

I see that Outdoors and Northwood make their own. Are there others?

Lippert frames aren't necessarily the end of the world. I would say your problems perhaps revolve around having purchased a "ultra lite" trailer.

Many Lipperts have a 3500# rated 2" receiver hanging off the back - I don't see why that wouldn't do what you need to do.